Hot Topics:

Most Popular

New Denver police chief greeted with defiance at Occupy camp

By Jordan Steffen The Denver Post

Posted:
12/16/2011 01:00:00 AM MST

Updated:
12/16/2011 08:19:39 AM MST

Police Chief Robert White talks with Occupy Denver protesters at Civic Center on Thursday about the need to dismantle structures that block sidewalks. The city previously stated its intent to clear out the structures Thursday but delayed any action.
(Andy Cross, The Denver Post
)

The brief, tense meeting took place about noon, less than 24 hours after the Denver Department of Public Works distributed fliers warning the group that the city would remove items blocking the sidewalks around Civic Center.

White, who was sworn in Monday as Denver's police chief, greeted protesters, most of whom had been pacing in the park for more than two hours, waiting for crews to dismantle and remove the Occupy-affiliated structures. He reminded protesters about his invitation to meet with him at 2 p.m. Monday at Denver police headquarters, but the looming conflict over the ramshackle shelters of cardboard and scrap wood cut the introductions short.

Photos: Robert White meets with Occupy Denver protesters

"I wanted to come and tell you personally that the encumbrances are a violation and at some time we will have to enforce the law," White said of the structures at Civic Center.

A woman interrupted him and shouted, "We're not taking them down."

White was frequently interrupted by outbursts or arguments between protesters, and the meeting progressively spiraled from questions about the structures, to protesters shouting rambling rhetorical questions and sarcastic analogies.

About five protesters followed White out of the park, berating him, asking questions and interrupting him before he had a chance to finish responses. The group briefly stopped at the corner of West 14th Avenue and Bannock Street, where one protester stated that police have had fluctuating policies about structures in the park and have refused to reach compromises with demonstrators.

Advertisement

"We'll have to agree to disagree on that," said White, who pointed out that his meeting Thursday was an effort to compromise with protesters.

One woman repeatedly swore at White while he tried to answer her question of why the structures could not stay in the park until the Monday meeting. White had to repeatedly ask her to let him finish answering.

Roshan Bliss, who said he was a 24-year-old master's student at the University of Denver, followed White to the corner. Bliss was frustrated White showed up unannounced, depriving demonstrators of a chance to organize a general assembly.

"He showed up out of the blue, to a group of people who have been standing around frustrated since 10 o'clock," Bliss said.

About two hours after White left the park, Public Works announced it was not moving into the park Thursday and it was "re-evaluating" plans to remove structures from the site.

The decision had nothing to do with White's visit and the cleanup was postponed simply because protesters showed they were unwilling to cooperate, said Public Works spokeswoman Christine Downs. A new date has not been set.

Missy Franklin, Jenny Simpson, Adeline Gray and three other Colorado women could be big players at the 2016 Rio OlympicsWhen people ask Missy Franklin for her thoughts about the Summer Olympics that will begin a year from Wednesday in Rio de Janeiro, she hangs a warning label on her answer.